SASKATOON - With a goal in the 87th minute, University of Saskatchewan Huskie Daniela Fuenzalida gave her team a 1-0 victory over the visiting UBC Thunderbirds Saturday in Saskatoon's Griffiths Stadium in PotashCorp Park.
Fuenzalida's goal came after she was left alone in front of the T-Birds net. A scramble on the right side allowed Amy Byrne to send the ball to Fuenzalida, who first timed the ball into the corner past UBC keeper
Meghan Best.
Both teams' records move to 7-5-1 and each are tied with 22 points to sit in third place. The University of Fraser Valley Cascades also sit with 22 points after a 3-1 win over the University of Calgary Dinos. With just four teams making the playoffs, the Huskies and T-Birds have their work cut out for them.
Fraser Valley faces the last place University of Lethbridge Pronghorns (1-11-1) at home, while the Huskies will face the second place Trinity Western University Spartans (8-3-2). UBC travels to Edmonton to face the first place University of Alberta Pandas (10-1-2). If all three teams win again Sunday, there would be a three-way tie for the final two-playoff spots.
Although neither team found the net in the first half, it was UBC that had the majority of the chances in that first 45-minute frame. The T-Birds threw seven shots at the Huskies net in the first half including three chances that just missed wide and one that hit the crossbar. Saskatchewan had one strong chance when Canada West leading scorer Elizabeth Hudon was left alone with the ball but Best was able to scoop up the ball before Hudon could get her foot on it.
UBC also had top chances to begin the second half with corner kicks by
Natalie Hirayama resulting in headers by
Kelly Cook and
Alisha Penev collected by Huskie keeper Marissa Wilford.
Wilford made nine saves in the game for the Huskies, while Best had four. UBC outshot the Huskies 21-6 in the match.
The T-Birds play the first place Alberta Pandas on Saturday with a very important three points on the line. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. PST.
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